The United States President Donald Trump intensified the country’s military activities in South America in recent weeks. Earlier this month, the U.S. seized one Venezuelan tanker before Trump ordered “a complete and total blockade” of the country’s sanctioned oil ships. Trump also issued a warning to Venezuela’s neighbors, Colombia, projecting a similar exercise of power if it doesn’t line up with his agenda.
Trump’s True Aim in Venezuela
Trump turned his focus to Venezuela in August, increasing the presence of U.S. warships off the country’s coast. At the time, he justified the move with the fight against drug cartels. What followed were several strikes on Venezuelan vessels that were allegedly trafficking drugs. Reportedly, the U.S. military also considered attacks on Venezuelan soil. In December, the hostilities escalated after the U.S. seized the oil tanker and claimed the oil it carried. It continued building naval assets near the country’s coast and carried out a blockade that Trump announced on social media.
According to sources close to the U.S. government, which were cited in CNN’s article, the goal of recent actions is to increase pressure on Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, and remove him from power. He won the most recent elections in controversial circumstances over Edmundo Gonzalez. Washington, on the other hand, considers Gonzalez as the country’s rightfully elected leader. Maduro argues that Trump’s true intentions are to get its hands on the country’s oil and other assets. The U.S. president himself hinted at such goals by telling reporters that “we’re getting land, oil rights, whatever we had.” Since the nationalization of the oil industry in 1976, Venezuela has largely restricted the access of U.S. companies to its energy reserves.
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Colombia is the Next Target
Venezuela isn’t the only Latin American country that finds itself in Trump’s crosshairs. Despite Colombia being considered a U.S. ally, Trump has a strained relationship with its leftist president, Gustavo Petro. He accused Petro of “encouraging drug production,” while Petro criticized his policies and actions in Venezuela on several occasions. The situation escalated in recent weeks, as Trump openly threatened Petro, telling him that he “better wise up or he’ll be next.”
While Colombia doesn’t have Venezuela’s oil reserves, having someone with a friendly attitude towards Washington would greatly benefit U.S. objectives in South America. Colombia has served as a key ally to the U.S. in the region for decades. The two countries have collaborated in the war on drugs while having a strong economic partnership.
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What Happens Next is Anyone’s Guess
The U.S. will hope that Venezuela crumbles under pressure without the need for major military intervention. Anything else would draw negative reactions on a global level while dragging the country into another exhausting conflict. With Colombia, the obvious way forward would be to let things run their course. Petro will be out of the office next year and can’t be re-elected. The support for a U.S.-approved candidate might be enough to change leadership and have someone more aligned with the way Trump operates.
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